Putting the Cry in Rally Cry

This week, I haven't mentioned much about the upcoming UCLA-USC game at the Rose Bowl. With the UCLA's head coach Karl Dorrell already conceding defeat, it's hard for any Bruins' fan to have much optimism. Sure, there's always the cliche that you can throw out the records in a rivalry game. But while the records may not matter, attitude and motivation do; and it's really, really, really difficult for me to imagine that Dorrell is going to fire up the troops with comments like, "I hope we give them a game." That kind of stuff works when you're Lou Holtz or Bill Parcells in the 80's and your team is heavily favored, and you're just trying to prevent your players from overlooking the opponent. But when you're the underdog, humility isn't the recipe for success- unabashed, irrational optimism is. However, since I am a Bruin, I'll still hold on to some hope that UCLA can find a way to win this game. But I feel like a 10 year old who still believes in Santa- everyone tells me I'm crazy, but I don't want to give up the last bits of hope that it could be real.

A few other quick thoughts on the game:

-How slim are the Bruins' chances of a victory on Saturday? Well, a local furniture store has a promotion wherein all purchases made today will be free if UCLA beats USC Saturday.

-Listening to Pete Carroll's press conference yesterday, I was filled with just one emotion. Jealousy. Short of NCAA sanctions, there is no way that USC is ever leaving the top 5 as long as Carroll is their head coach. I just hope that the Arizona Cardinals make him an offer he can't refuse. (Tho if it were me, the immediate factor that would make me refuse any offer would be, "it came from the Arizona Cardinals.)

-Thank you Ben Howland for saving my sanity. (Or maybe giving me another outlet for insanity...but either way, thank you.)

-Instead of a bonfire rally last night, perhaps UCLA should have held a seance, in the hopes of channeling the spirit of Wayne Cook into Patrick Cowan and JJ Stokes into Brandon Breazell.

-Reality check: Saturday will be the day that running back CJ Gable becomes the next great breakout star at USC.

-Finally, I'll leave UCLA and Michigan fans with one final glimmer of hope- if Mike Riley can coach a team to an upset victory over USC, then anyone can.